Isn’t ADHD Just An Excuse For Lack Of Discipline?

ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a disorder that commonly affects children by making them hyperactive with low attention span, it has been seen that boys are inflicted more than the girls. The typical symptoms include difficulty in controlled behavior, low focus and attention span and hyperactivity. But considering the increasing levels of behavioral issues plaguing schools and homes, isn’t ADHD just an excuse for a lack of discipline?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms

Most parents of children diagnosed with ADHD complain of violent behavior patterns with children of 7 to 9 years hitting siblings and others that prevent them from doing things they want to do. As per studies conducted on ADHD and childhood behavior patterns, here are some of the common symptoms:

• Distraction
• Forgetfulness and daydreaming patterns
• Low attentions span
• Poor listening skills
• Poor concentration
• Heightened activity- running, inability to play quietly
• Aggressive and violent behavior

However, aggressive behavior and anger is a common pattern seen in young and older aged children diagnosed with this disorder. It has been seen that feelings of frustration coupled with lack of communication of emotions vent out as aggressive and violent behavior patterns.

Though they are developmentally delayed, it has been seen that the urge to resist aggressive behavior is lacking. But the fact that children have communication issues along with poor focus, reinforcement of instructions does help. But it is also seen in kids with poor discipline and lower levels of parental control.

Can poor parenting skills lead to misdiagnosis as ADHD?

But coming back to the question that isn’t ADHD just an excuse for a lack of discipline, it is true that in some cases, indiscipline is camouflaged by ADHD. Poor parenting skills compounded by lack of discipline can label the kids afflicted with ADHD. But not all children diagnosed with ADHD are categorized such due to lack of discipline. This is a serious behavioral disorder that continues to adulthood unless there is medical and therapeutic intervention. Though there is no cure for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Syndrome, some medicines and behavioral therapy is advised by physicians depending upon individual evaluation.

Oftentimes, it is easy for parents to put the blame on the children citing medical disorders than introspecting on their own parenting skills. They take the child from doctor to doctors till the symptoms are correlated with a behavioral problem, which is one of the reasons that ADHD is misdiagnosed. Most of the children with such poor parenting and discipline issue, who are labeled as ADHD, get away with misbehavior. However, the children that are misdiagnosed and put on drugs suffer lifelong side-effects which could have been avoided with little discipline.

Thus, in a way, isn’t ADHD just an excuse for a lack of discipline? Yes, it is in some cases while in others, it is for the betterment of the child to receive proper guidance and therapy to enhance communication skills and increase focus. It is the role of parents to wisely notice the symptoms, stay balanced and the skill of the doctor to be able to diagnose correctly.